Julf wrote: > Unfortunately I have already come across audiophiles arguing that the > demonstration is pointless, as the intermediate digital steps don't > matter - the point of the Very Expensive Audiophool Ethernet Cable is to > isolate your music streamer from the nasty noise in computers (and I > guess routers)...
Which is a strange assertion as well since when does one directly connect an ethernet streaming device to the computer anyhow to expose it to all the noise and crap? Unless a person is running multiple ethernet ports on a computer and using the computer to do network switching? It was because of this kind of idea that my test last week included 2 measurements using the old 10/100 4-port switch from a decade ago! Cat 5E, Cat 6, Cat 6A (which BTW has 500MHz rated bandwidth and improved crosstalk over Cat 6, similar in many ways to Cat 7 at 600MHz) made no difference. UTP vs. STP made no difference. 1' to 50' made no difference. Recent inexpensive gigabit switch vs. decade-old 10/100 switch made no difference. All connected to a local HTPC on the same switch so if computer noise is a problem obviously the different cables and switches didn't attenuate anything. This week, no only that, but we show that having the server >7000 km away across the ocean and N. American continent with conversion between electrical and optical networks made no difference other than the ability to sustain adequate bandwidth. (Mikerob - the traceroute idea is great... Maybe next time I'll keep this in mind!) Truth be told, I don't think objectivists even need tests like these to be quite sure of how computers and networks were engineered to work. If folks who hear significant differences can come up with some verifiable explanation for why they hear an improvement, then of course the science of audio can be improved. If not, and there's no way to demonstrate reality testing, then we continue to waste our time with just opinions and hearsay. One reason why I wanted to put these tests out there with details including equipment used is so we can provide a challenge to those who feel there is "something" to expensive cables and such... Surely, if they can come up with their own experiments to show some difference, "I'm all ears"! Archimago's Musings: (archimago.blogspot.com) A 'more objective' audiophile blog. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Archimago's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=2207 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=103146 _______________________________________________ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/audiophiles
